COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Friday, March 19

Four more people on Prince Edward Island have been diagnosed with COVID-19, including a male under 19 who is involved in minor sport activities, the Chief Public Health Office said late Friday. The CPHO also said there was a public exposure at Stretch Fitness in Summerside. 

People in Borden-Carleton, including the town itself and Lone Oak Brewing, are excited about the prospect of the bubble reopening and are working to get ready. 

The Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce is welcoming the announcement that the Atlantic bubble will reopen by April 19, and says the next step is harmonizing public health guidelines.

The price of gas on Prince Edward Island took another significant jump of almost 3 cents a litre Friday morning — self-serve, regular gasoline is $1.316, higher than at any point during the pandemic. 

The four Atlantic premiers announced Thursday that they plan to reopen their provincial borders for freer travel by residents of the region "by April 19," barring any further serious outbreaks of COVID-19. The announcement has tourism operators excited.

And here's how other Islanders were reacting.

The P.E.I. government unveiled a tourism action plan for 2021, which includes $1 million in assistance for Charlottetown Airport and $3 million for tourism operators to prepare their businesses after being devastated by COVID-19 restrictions in 2020.

Javan Nsangira, 23, who failed to self-isolate while he had COVID-19 in P.E.I. last summer was sentenced Thursday in P.E.I. Supreme Court to two years of probation.

P.E.I. has had 148 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, with no deaths or hospitalizations. There are now eight active cases.

Nova Scotia reported three new cases of COVID-19 on Friday with 17 active cases.

New Brunswick reported two new cases Friday with 48 active and Newfoundland and Labrador reported no new cases, with 26 cases considered active.

New Brunswickers coming into Nova Scotia soon will no longer have to self-isolate when entering, the Nova Scotia government announced Friday.

Also in the news

• A UPEI professor has developed a method to help curtail plagiarism, which he says became a problem when universities went to online learning and exams during the pandemic.
• The head of the P.E.I. Seafood Processors Association wants confirmation on who will pay for a three-day quarantine for temporary foreign workers.
• A survey of immigrants on P.E.I. found the pandemic is likely to have lasting impacts in that community.

These Islanders are currently eligible for a vaccine

• People over the age of 75.
• People aged 18 to 29 in the following occupations:
     - Food and beverage service.
     - Food delivery service.
     - Convenience store and gas station attendants.
     - Grocery store clerks.
• Firefighters, police officers, power-line workers.
• Residents and staff of long-term care homes.
• Adults living in Indigenous communities.
• Residents and staff of shared living facilities.
• Truck drivers and other rotational workers.

Further resources

• Here is a chart of COVID-19 cases on P.E.I. since March 2020, and a timeline of pandemic events.
• Here is a look at how coronavirus is spreading across Canada.

Reminder about symptoms

The symptoms of COVID-19 can include:

• Fever.
• Cough or worsening of a previous cough.
• Possible loss of taste and/or smell.
• Sore throat.
• New or worsening fatigue.
• Headache.
• Shortness of breath.
• Runny nose.

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